Wolfie
by Darkford
Summary: Wulfenite is a worker gem, lower than a Peridot, higher than a Pearl. When she gets poofed during the war for Earth, then trapped in a necklace by a human girl and passed down a few generations, things finally get interesting when the most recent receiver of her gem accidentally breaks her chains. Permanent Hiatus due to lack of interest in fandom. R&R, suggestions welcome.
1. Chapter 1

Wulfenite, Facet-9T1I Cut-6ZB.

That was the number the curt Peridot gave her. Or at least, that was what she was to believe; never did she really believe in it, not with her Gem. Not with her mind. Not with her pulse.

No, she lived and breathed Earth, the planet she was born on. Sure, she could rise from the ground, she had no parents, but born sounded so much _better_ than formed or risen or uprooted. Gulping, she stood alongside the other Wulfenites and among other Gems, other Peridots and other Rubies and other Quartzes...

Oh, how much better Earth sounded than Homeworld.

How much better Heart sounded than Pulse.

How much better Human sounded than Gem.

Many times she watched as the Peridots scorned the much larger, bulkier, clumsier Wulfenites. Soon, Peridots might replace them altogether, or even a new Gem... she had heard that there was experimentation going on for that from an older Gem, a Beryl there to teach them all what they were to do.

After all, instinct could only go so far... but couldn't the same be said of teaching?

The Gems around her did not approve of this idea. Like somehow it was important that the ideas were separate, like how one must be better than another. She didn't like this idea, but from then on she kept it to herself.

She didn't really feel like a 'she'. Sure, it was the neutral for Gems, since Gems didn't have genders... but as she looked down at herself, at her form and her flat chest and her strong body, she considered the idea that if she were human, she'd definitely be male.

Streching her arms out, she got to work on her first assignment, to rebuild a chariot's wheel. She studied it for a few moments, carefully looking over the bolts that kept it together, at the round surface, at the materials. Gulping, she turned to a pile of materials in a storage room not far off.

She walked over to it, careful to keep her muscles loose and her posture peaceful. She was quite certain that if she wanted to, she could fall on a Peridot and shatter it. Her feet were large and clunky, however, which did not help. If only her feet were a little bit daintier, or even just easier for her to dodge little Rubies with.

And then it happened. Her feet were a bit smaller, more stable, easier to walk with. There was a residual glow, but it died down before anyone could notice. Glancing around, she moved on, her task much easier than normal.

Lifting the materials, she turned back and went to the wheel again, carefully applying pressure where needed and slowly welding it in with her thumb. She frowned. It was incredibly inefficient, how it was all done, really; she could just make holes and some round, grooved objects, then smack it in with a hammer...

The very moment she considered the hammer, a small one appeared in her hand, and she jumped back in surprise. The Wulfenite to one side of her growled deeply, frowning at her in disapproval.

"Don't even think about it, new Gem," she hissed, going back to slowly welding the wheel together. She let the hammer disintegrate and continued her work slowly. Very, very slowly...

* * *

She was alone. It was so _rare_ to be alone, to not have anyone to watch for, to not have to comply to the norms. She stretched out, feeling the wind in her hair, breathing the air with a deep breath.

It was a secret how closely she'd imitated the human body with her hard-light one. She wanted very much to feel how humans felt when they ate and breathed, and so she made herself lungs and a stomach. Of course, it took her some time to figure out how to make use of the energy the food gave her, but she eventually got it down pat. It made her very proud that she could do it; if she ever got stuck, she would not perish. Even if her photosynthesis failed, she would still remain strong and able.

She stretched a bit, feeling her body tingle at the movement. She rolled her shoulders and pulled on her toes, snapped her fingers and tilted her neck. How _refreshing_ it was to stretch, to let her body relax and work out the knots.

Then she paused when she heard a slight ruffling noise, her head snapping around and catching sight of something in a dark corner. She shifted, so her body faced it, but her head was pointed slightly away, though her eyes adjusted to look directly at the spot she thought it had been.

 _There,_ she realized, the... whatever it was was shifting again. She began walking at an angle, not directly to the creature but getting closer with each step. She stopped beyond sight and began creeping back, watching the creature closely as a dainty toe stepped out.

And out stepped a Pearl.

Her body flowed with strength and grace, her thin frame lined with streaks of black and grey, twirling down to her gloved hands. Her hair was braided, a distasteful and completely unique hairstyle that Wulfenite thought only Diamonds, Golds and occasionally high-ranking Sapphires would be allowed to have. The only personalized Pearls she knew of were those that belonged to the Diamonds, and she was fairly certain that there wasn't a Black Diamond. There were four... Yellow Diamond, Pink Diamond, Blue Diamond and White Diamond. This Pearl did not look like any of those colours.

She stalked closer as the Pearl gulped, pausing for only a moment. With a snap, her hand reached out and gripped the vocal area, preventing the Pearl's speech.

"Hush!" Wulfenite hissed. "When I let go of your mouth, I will have you answer my questions. If you try and cry out, know that there are plenty of Wulfenites here who would gladly shatter you." She paused, allowing the Pearl a moment so that the fact sunk in, until she finally let go of the Pearl's mouth. The Pearl, much to Wulfenite's surprise, had been very soft; she wasn't sure why Pearls were soft, but she was glad she knew that now.

"What will happen once I answer your questions?" The Pearl inquired, shivering delicately. Wulfenite frowned.

"I didn't plan for that, admittedly... so now it depends on your honesty and what you tell me." She grinned. "I suggest being honest."

The Pearl nodded and awaited questions.

"First, what are you doing here?" Wulfenite inquired, still gripping the Pearl by the shoulder.

"I am here on a scouting mission," the Pearl reported.

"Who do you serve?" She inquired next, beating herself up for not asking that first.

The Pearl froze with fear. Then, with a shiver, she stated, "I have no master."

Wulfenite paused.

"What? Wait, no, give me a moment..." Wulfenite assimilated this new information and took a deep breath.

"Surely... surely you have some sort of purpose that you work towards? Or, or like... if you're on a mission, who gave it to you?" Wulfenite asked quickly. This Pearl was so _strange!_

She shook off the desperate need to know more about this Gem. _All you need to know is why she's here._

"Pink- Pink Diamond," The Pearl stuttered. "She's worried about something going on here. That's all you need to know."

"Directly from Pink Diamond?" Wulfenite inquired, shocked. Wouldn't Pink Diamond's Pearl be pink, like her?

"No, through a superior," Pearl explained, getting a bit more confident. "She wanted someone small to help for the mission, but there aren't any gems that specialize in espionage."

Wulfenite paused, wondering why the Diamonds would need to spy on each other. Was there something here she was missing? Would it be bad for the Homeworld? Wait, why did she even care what happened to Homeworld?

Wulfenite huffed. "Am I in any danger?"

Pearl stiffened. "You... are a common worker, yes?"

"Yes, but I'm asking the questions." Wulfenite rumbled.

"And I'm answering them. You'll be fine." the Pearl amended.

Wulfenite nodded, satisfied... enough. But maybe...

For some reason, this Pearl was special to her. There was just _something_ about the independent streak the Pearl displayed, the sassiness which leaked from her voice with each successive answer she gave. Wulfenite admired that, perhaps a bit more than she should - after all, she was just a Pearl.

Though, they were effectively alone. She could afford to do this.

"Will you be okay?" She asked, her grip going a bit loose. The Pearl froze in shock.

"I... yes, but I have to go soon if I want to get away unseen..." she murmured, glancing towards a small vehicle nearby. Wulfenite reluctantly let go of her shoulder, watching closely as the Pearl walked away.

There was a pause, and she turned back. "Can I ask a favour of you?"

Wulfenite found herself nodding before she could say no.

"Please... d-don't tell anyone I was here," she requested shakily. "Can you do that? For me?"

"Yeah," Wulfenite agreed, her mind going blank. "I... I can do that."

She watched numbly as the Pearl ran off, her short, frilly skirt waving in the air as she sped up, hopping into the vehicle and driving away.

Wulfenite grabbed her forehead and groaned. _Hopefully,_ she thought, _work will let me think about this and clear my head._

She walked off to fix another chariot.

* * *

Wulfenite froze when she came to. What had she been doing? Why did her eyes feel heavy? Why did she feel... refreshed?

She heard the sound of steps around her, paces and rushing around and other sounds of unrest. Standing at attention, she glanced around, assessing the situation.

The Wulfenites were in complete turmoil. A Peridot stormed in at that very moment, her eyes wide in fear as she shrieked, "The Rebels are coming!" Glancing around, her brow creased with worry beneath her helmet, she hissed and ran off again.

Typical Peridots. Never the fighting kind, they would hide behind a soldier until any scuffle was over. They were generally good survivors, oddly enough, although most of them were too polite to be insulted by such a thought - think of it, a Peridot surviving instead of their superiors! They may have purely been first aid kits for the machines of Homeworld and the Gems, but they were low enough on the ladder that they weren't allowed to feel insulted - and if they did, they didn't show it.

She turned her mind to what the Peridot had said. The rebels... she wasn't sure who they were, but as the image of a small, sassy Pearl flashed through her mind, she shook herself and left the repair room.

There was no point in remaining there.

Looking around, she saw hundreds - no, thousands - of Quartzes, all rushing for the western sky. What was there that needed so many Gems? She looked down at herself, at her burly stature and powerful hands.

She could help.

Her fists tightened and she burst into the crowd, going fast enough that any Quartzes who had a problem with her presence wouldn't have anyone to complain at. She burst into a crowd of orange-tinted Quartzes and followed them, making sure to remain at the back. No one would recognize her. She would melt away into the mass of soldiers...

* * *

They were apparently running to the beach. Upon the sands were a trio of Gems, backed by thousands of mismatched Gems - Peridots, Pearls, Rubies and even a Quartz or two. Topazes, Jaspers, even Wulfenites like herself. What was happening? What was up with this mismatched group of Gems?

"REBELS!" Cried the leader of the Gems among her. "We will fight to return power to Homeworld! You will all be harvested for what you've done!"

The leader of the rebels, as far as Wulfenite knew, stepped forward. Her entire form was radiating power mixed with grace, beauty mixed with the horrors of war and shatterings, confidence mixed with pity.

She was a Quartz, a Rose Quartz, the highest ranking of Pink Diamond's court. Her form was billowing in the wind, glorious and unscathed, her scabbard empty as her intricate sword was held in one hand, her glorious shield in the other. Her hair was in a beautiful set of curls, her face set in an observant and unwavering expression of confidence.

She was graceful and burly. She was strong, yet stood as an equal to the Pearl and the tall, pastel Gem beside her. Her every inch was nothing less than perfection.

"I am Rose Quartz!" proclaimed the Quartz, her Pearl and the strange Gem standing at either side of her. "We, the Rebellion, ask only that you spare this planet of your plans! If you do not comply, we will be forced to battle for the beauty of this planet!"

There was a rising cheer for war among the battalions of Gems around him. Frowning, she wondered what was so important about this planet, for both sides; one that wished to use it, and the other to protect it. What on this planet was so desperately important that it warranted war?

"TO BATTLE!" Cried their leader before she could even question it further. She ran forth, part of the herd, the group, the crowd, taking a deep breath, then quietly shuffling towards the edge.

She was no battle Gem. She would not fight for Homeworld.

Thankfully, she was ignored as she sped through the waves of Gems, all colour-coordinated and made to fit in, all exactly the same. How she managed to get through she didn't know, but thankfully the land strip was narrow, and she was able to climb up to safer ground. She turned around and stared as the battle began.

The explosions of colour that occurred at their connecting point was deafening and blinding. The Rebels were a rainbow, blues and oranges and reds and yellows, greens and purples and blacks and whites.

Her eyes caught onto a small figure in the distance, cowering on the ground with her hands over her head protectively. She leaned forward to peer in at the little creature. Perhaps a reformed ruby with a new colour? Maybe an odd Sapphire, even?

She briefly forgot about gravity and fell forward, landing with a thump on the ground in the middle of the battle. She winced as someone used her as a platform and jumped to her feet, shaking herself off and dashing through to try and get away from the crossfire. She hopped over a few small Gems and pushed aside a particularly large Jasper, covering ground quickly. Her eyes once more focused on the small, shivering creature, still ignored by the Gems around it.

Then, a Gem grabbed it by the collar and suddenly threw it out of the way, landing it in front of her.

Rage. Fear. Shock. Those were the things she felt as she found herself picking up the small creature - a human girl - with a powerful swoop and then dashing headlong into the rebel forces, aiming for the next human home she saw.

Her eyes focused on a brown box, and with a firm nod to herself she sped up, focused solely on the shed. Her mind thought in split-second commands as she weaved her way through the rebels.

Jump over a Quartz's sword.

Dive under a Pearl's spear.

Speed up and avoid the Ruby's hammer.

Then she felt a burst of air behind her as some sort of bomb went off, speeding up even more, because she knew what came after an explosion like that.

Zappers.

The twisty, high-speed strength slashed forward, whipping through both sides and making every Gem inside its radius burst. Some of the fusions on the rebel side poofed into two gems, or sometimes even three. Wulfenite made the most of it and dove into the shed, falling to her knees and letting go of the child to slam the door shut. She turned back to see two brown orbs of pure worship.

The human began talking rapidly in a language Wulfenite didn't recognise. She blinked, raising an eyebrow, and eventually the human stopped trying, instead just settling for snuggling up in Wulfenite's chest. She smiled sadly and held the human close.

She would keep it safe.

A few minutes later, she turned rapidly as she heard a tapping noise on the door. Her eyes followed the noise, her ears picking up the tail ends of conversation.

"Go in," a gruff voice said firmly. "There's definitely a Homeworld Gem in there. Be careful." She heard a quick 'yep' from a light-sounding voice, and the tapping of the other Gem walking away.

The door creaked open slowly, and she laid her eyes upon a small Sunstone who glared at her.

"You're the informant D-bomb was talking about! The Wulfenite!" she cried, pointing at Wulfenite dramatically. The Sunstone quickly summoned a set of daggers that sprouted from her wrists, creeping forward.

"I swear, she never cleans up her messes!" She grumbled, getting closer. "What's so special about you, anyway? 'The Wulfenite was nice', said D-Bomb. 'She won't hurt us', said D-Bomb. Just look at this now!" The Sunstone threw her hands in the air. "I've had enough!"

Wulfenite accepted her fate gladly, ever gripping the human to her chest as the two glowing blades sliced through her and the world went black.

* * *

A/N: SIGH. Another one... Enjoy, R&R, and all that. Updates will only happen if people show interest in the reviews because I've got way too much to do.


	2. Chapter 2

Wulfenite didn't know how long it had been, but she knew one thing; there was a metal prison surrounding her, forcing her to remain a simple gem for who knows how long. She growled in frustration as centuries rolled by, human after human passing down her gem, unable to break her chains and reform her hard-light body.

With a drastic sigh she watched from the shop window, her sight fuzzy but nonetheless functional. No-one had dusted her since her last captor had sold her for a tidy profit to an antique shop. She grumbled at the complex line of humans she'd been in the possession of over the years until she reminded herself that they had no way of knowing what the chains do to her.

The first one? She had assumed Wulfenite dead, the gem all that was left after she was found. She was far too young to remember the specifics, and so the memory of the bulky gem disappearing in a puff of smoke was rearranged to be the Sunstone dragging her away to who-knows-where, leaving behind the gem.

Her gem.

The girl caged her, then tied her to a string, after which she was worn for many years. She took it off every night only to put it on again every morning.

Then one day, she forgot to put it on, and never came back.

The next day, a quiet, unhappy girl placed the necklace around her neck, and her luck turned around. Wulfenite sympathized with the brokenhearted granddaughter, and silently cheered her on from the necklace, which she never took off until her dying day. Her daughter inherited it and moved on to achieve many things.

And so, the legend was born that her gem - the necklace - was somehow magical, that it granted luck to any who bore it, a confidant who would aide them in life.

Not far from the truth, honestly.

And so, passed down from human to human, Wulfenite learned about the world, and about life. She learned many skills from her humans, from simple farmers to owners of corporations, all across the world, in the hopes that one day she would be free to use these skills, that she would finally have her body back.

And so, she was here.

The times in shops were... interesting, but also quite boring if you consider that all you can observe is humans observing you. The shop owner was a gentle-hearted but busy man that didn't really have much time to care about his bored, odd son or his employees; he had a business to keep afloat, after all, and valuable antiques to keep in tip-top shape.

She sat in her prison and waited.

* * *

It was the summer of who-knows when. All she could see was the birds flying by, the sun in the sky, the beauty of the world around her passing her by as humans on the street rushed past, far too busy to look at the necklace in the display case.

Then, she caught sight of the pale son gripping the hand of another human. A human girl, a pretty girl with a sloppy grin and a sweet laughter as they slowed near the shop.

"I live here!" Wulfenite heard the son say, smiling up at the shop sign, which read 'DALLSON'S ANTIQUES' in big, bold letters written to imitate some sort of fancy script. Literacy and language were a few concepts Wulfenite was eager to test out - not that she'd get to anytime soon.

"Wow..." The girl grinned, looking at the display cases. Wulfenite fully expected her eyes to drift over her without a care in the world, so she was surprised when the human stopped and stared at Wulfenite in awe.

She placed a single hand on the window and smiled. "This necklace, here, Denver," She murmured. "It's so pretty."

Wulfenite felt her cheeks... well, at least what would be her cheeks, heat up in a shy happiness. She didn't think she was _that_ pretty...

"Do you want it?" Denver inquired, a bit surprised. "Pa said nobody wanted it since it wasn't really very rare. Just... antique-y."

"It's so pretty though!" She argued. "Pretty doesn't have to be rare."

 _True,_ Wulfenite agreed to herself. _You already have such a pretty planet._

The girl watched the gem for a few more moments. "I think I'll get it."

"Wait, weren't you saving up for that video game?" Denver said, raising an eyebrow. "And I thought you didn't like jewelry?"

"I like _this_ jewelry," She said firmly, walking in. Denver followed, and Wulfenite strained to listen to the conversation.

"Sir?" She called, getting Denver's father's attention.

"Can I help you?" he inquired helpfully, looking a little tired but nonetheless eager to aide her.

She pointed, presumably to Wulfenite. "I'd like to get the orange necklace in the window, the one with the square gem. How much is it?"

"You know what, m'girl?" he said, getting out from behind the counter. "It's not very valuable, so since you're a friend to Denver here, I'll pass it on to you." he chuckled. "but please, take good care of it. It's a very special necklace." He gripped her chains, and for the first time in at least two years Wulfenite felt her gem move, her dust being shaken off. He walked back to the girl and hung it around her neck, simultaneously snapping off the tag with a firm pull.

"Thank you, sir!" She grinned. "I'll take very good care of it!"

"I know you will," he agreed wholeheartedly. A bit more serious, he continued, "just a warning though... it's been said that that gem has a spirit inside it. Take very good care of it, and I'm sure the spirit will take care of you." he pulled up to his full height and let out an amicable laugh. "Not that it's true, though!"

Wulfenite felt a bit miffed, but was simply happy she wouldn't be neglected any more. The girl and Denver exchanged glances, and they chuckled along to humor him.

"See you two later," he called as they left, Denver and the girl - Emma - waving back to him. They ran off again, headed for the lighthouse.

* * *

The lighthouse, or more specifically the room, was a small space in the wall of a large, circular building which towered above the cliff, shedding light on the ocean. The two of them giggled as they broke a chocolate bar between them, simultaneously eating their halves and giggling wildly. Emma stopped, however, and Denver gave her his full attention.

"I wonder what your Dad meant when he said there was a spirit in this necklace," Emma considered, stroking Wulfenite's gem softly. She wouldn't admit to it, but that actually felt pretty great.

Denver smirked. "Oh, nah. I was there when he bought it off the other guy, he's way off with the story. It's a good luck charm sorta thing, bunch of businesspeople wanted it about a century back. It's apparently very good at listening to your problems." They held back their laughter for as long as they could, but it still happened anyway.

Emma stopped and began cleaning off Wulfenite with the hem of her dress, which Wulfenite was happy for. Finally, her sight was clearer, and she could see where she was more clearly then a bunch of vaguely colourful blurs.

She listened intently to the human's conversation, how Emma's caretakers were a pair of women who adopted her a few years back, how Denver and his Dad moved into Beach City because there was a group that often got strange and unique antiques that they had no idea what to do with (though he apparently hadn't found them yet), how they spent every weekend going on their own little adventures.

Wulfenite smiled to herself. These two were some of the sweetest humans yet, she could just taste it on the tip of her tongue. She eagerly awaited being a vessel for Emma's worries and concerns. She was ready to serve again, and at long last, learn again.

"We should probably go home," Denver commented, looking up at the moon. "Not like Dad will miss me, but..."

"Don't say that!" Emma scolded him. "He'll miss you a lot!" Denver gave her a weak smile and got up.

"You're right. Let's go home." He offered his hand, and she took it, allowing him to help her up from their nook in the lighthouse.

"You'll be back tomorrow, right?" Denver inquired, his insecurities leaking through. "For our next adventure."

"Yeah!" She agreed wholeheartedly. "And I'll bring my necklace, too." She touched it lightly. "Thanks for leading me to it. I like it a lot."

Denver chuckled, a light blush creeping onto his face. "It was nothing," he amended, though his silly grin was far from modest. "See you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Emma smiled, and after a short, lingering moment where they gave each other a last glance, Denver dashed out and over the hills to head back home.

Emma looked down at Wulfenite, holding her gem up so that Wulfenite was staring right at her. "You know," she admitted, "here's something, if you really can hear me. I really want Denver to see that he's more than some freak of nature, like some people think he is. He's always telling me he wishes he wasn't Albino so people didn't stare at him... but I think he should be proud. He's quite pretty, really." She smiled. "Maybe... maybe you can lend him some luck?"

Wulfenite would have smiled back if she could.

 _Of course I will._

* * *

And so, time went on. Wulfenite watched Denver closely to make sure that he was okay, and she watched Emma closely to make sure she was okay. It was a good deal, because Emma continued to talk to Wulfenite regularly, every day in fact, and even studied by reciting her notes to Wulfenite. There was a tingling warmth inside of Wulfenite that she didn't shoo away, as she might have done so many cycles ago. She let it in with open arms, and she loved every minute of it.

Emma pushed herself into her summer dress quickly, glancing at the mirror and nodding, before grabbing Wulfenite and hanging her over her neck. She stormed down the stairs and waved to her mothers quickly, before dashing out the door and hopping down the steps in excitement. With any luck, Denver would already be at the bottom floor of the apartments, waiting for her...

She spun around the post and stopped at the doorway, huffing heavily. Looking around, she sighed and went to sit down and wait for him, plopping herself down on the ground. She winced at the crinkling sound that erupted from beneath her and promptly got up, looking behind her for what she'd sat on.

Reaching down, she picked up the note and stared at it carefully. She stretched it out and read it, her body becoming cold and numb.

 _I'm sorry, I couldn't take it any more. I wanted to be strong but I guess I'm not._

 _-D_

She growled, a deep guttural sound that erupted forth, fierce and frustrated. "That _idiot!_ " She hissed, getting to her feet. "He needs me, dammit... think, Emma, think, where would he go..." She considered all the places she knew where he might have gone to... get away. The beach was too obvious, and nowhere near people, so... the forest was likely.

She stuffed the note in her pocket and dashed off, ignoring her surroundings. She brushed past a man who seemed to have ignored her completely until he reached into his pocket and pulled out the very same note.

"That idiot," he hissed, sending a hand through his sunshine-yellow hair. "Poor kid probably thinks her friend's gone and kicked the bucket someplace..." With an exasperated sigh he entered the building.

She would be back soon.

* * *

A/N: Hey again! Thanks for all the feedback!

Quick apology for the negativity in the notes last chapter, I was... ded in the 'It's 3 AM' sense. Regardless, I hope you've enjoyed Wolfie so far! Next chapter will be longer since cool stuff will happen, so hopefully that makes up for this shorter chapter.

Catcha later folks, and remember to read and review! It means a lot to know you enjoy the story!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey-o! If you missed chapter 2, I suggest going back to it. There's a lot here that wouldn't make an ounce of sense if you didn't read it.

* * *

Emma darted through the forest, ear alert for any out-of-place noise, eyes darting around frantically for even a _hint_ of her friend's pale skin, hoping she was right about where he would be. If she wasn't...

She shook the thought from her mind. No, she had to be optimistic. She kept running, shooting a desperate glance at the falling sun. In just a few minutes she wouldn't be able to see anything.

She kept running. She checked a few of their regular places and groaned in frustration when, after checking them all, Denver was still missing. She sighed as the forest became suddenly dark. Gripping Wulfenite, she looked around, taking a deep breath.

"If you can hear me, and do something - anything - then please, help me find him," Emma breathed, hugging Wulfenite to her chest. "Please."

Wulfenite considered her options. Rarely had humans asked for help like this before, and when they had, there had never been anything she could do. But here, in the dark forest... if she ran a bit of hard-light directly over her gem without forming it... she could be a light source.

She steadied herself and began.

The flash of light was sudden and surprising, making Emma jump back, holding Wulfenite out in front of her. For a moment she was frozen in awe, her jaw hanging open at the magic being worked before her. With a quick shake, however, she was back to her senses, and she held Wulfenite out like a gas lamp, using her to see in the dark.

"Thank you," Emma mumbled, looking around. She glanced down and knelt next to a set of indentations and peered at it, a slow smile forming.

"Footprints," she whispered to no-one in particular. "We've got a lead."

* * *

The footprints were fortunately easy to follow, and after about five minutes Emma stopped at the edge of a clearing, letting Wulfenite send spears of light into the darkness. It was a good thing hard-light was disposable. Her final spear briefly illuminated a pale face that stared back through the darkness, leaping back with a yelp when a spear flew directly over his head.

Emma covered Wulfenite, and Wulfenite dimmed a bit, allowing for a bit of stealth. The two of them creeped towards the spot, Emma gently laying a hand on Denver's shoulder.

"Denver, what _are_ you doing?" She inquired, though from her tone it was obvious she expected she knew the answer.

"You saw the note at the front of the apartments?" Denver inquired, getting up and grabbing her shoulder, glancing around. "I... went to see who it was, and..." he blushed. "I got lost."

Emma let out a huge sigh of relief. "So you didn't write that note," Emma repeated hopefully.

"I didn't."

"Good." She looked around, holding up Wulfenite again. Wulfenite took this as a sign to resume glowing. Denver let out a small gasp, searching Emma's expression for an explanation.

"Apparently your pops was right about it being magical," Emma stated with a smirk. "It helped me find you." She turned back to the darkness. "Where are we, actually?"

Denver gave her a _look_.

"Okay, okay, forgot, you were lost, now I am too," she shrugged. Wulfenite marveled at their horrible sense of direction, shaking her non-existent head, and decided to take charge.

She reached out with her light and pushed a tendril of pulsing light towards where they'd come, glad to see the pair were paying rapt attention. With a shrug, Emma began to follow Wulfenite's directions, slowly making ground through the forest.

"That's really cool," Denver commented, peering over Emma's shoulder at Wulfenite.

Emma nodded. "No kidding. Thanks, gem." She grinned at Wulfenite eagerly. "Thank goodness we have you."

Wulfenite automatically glowed brighter under the praise, illuminating the clearing brightly. The two humans shared a chuckle until a distinct noise was heard.

"What was that?" Denver asked fearfully, glancing around hurriedly. Emma backed up a few paces, instinctively gripping his hand.

"I don't know," she said carefully. "It sounded like-"

The inhumane roar was deafening.

Wulfenite panicked. No, no it couldn't be, it just wouldn't be right, they'd never-

The Gem Mutant burst into the clearing with a deafening roar, making its presence more than known. Its one eye focused on Wulfenite's Gem, peering at her with a look that could kill. Wulfenite flashed violently in an attempt to scare it away, but that only increased its determination.

It leaped forward, grabbing the bars wrapping Wulfenite in her cage with three mismatched arms, and Emma let out a cry of alarm as she gripped the other end, tugging violently at it.

"Denver, stop hiding in the corner and help me get it back!" She screeched. "It's our only ticket out of this cursed forest!" He shook himself and joined her, grabbing the wires as well, all of them pulling with all their strength to get Wulfenite.

There was an ominous _snap,_ and Wulfenite hit the ground with a resounding thud, the wires pulled apart in the hands of Denver, Emma and the mutant gem. She paused, then quietly allowed a minor celebration.

 _I'm free!_

She pulsed out a huge burst of light, blinding everyone around her briefly.

 _I can form!_

She stretched out her bulky arms, her powerful legs, her bushy yellow hair, feeling herself grow back to her full height. Her body felt fresh and new, now that she didn't have to bother forming the awkward diamond around her own gem, instead just leaving the light orange on her arms, feet and face, while letting her body and legs assume a darker shade. Along her neck and waist and down the sides of her arms and legs were deep, blood-red lines, which ended at her middle fingers and her ankles.

She landed lightly, glaring at the gem mutant. While she wasn't sure how it had come to be, she was fairly certain it was another one of those idiotic fusion experiments...

she shook herself from the morbid thoughts, and balled her hands into fists. The roar from the mutant set her going.

She delivered a quick uppercut to the mutant's jaw, hopping in the air to dodge the lowest arm that swept under her. As she fell back down to the ground she whipped her other arm around into the mutant's neck, causing it to screech in pain. Gaining confidence, she threw a final punch straight to the mutant's stomach, knocking it back and poofing it in a brownish-rainbow puff of smoke.

She took a few deep breaths through her reformed lungs as she picked up the forced fusion's gem. There wasn't really much she could do about it, so she improvised, grabbing her old chains and twisting them around the gem shards so that they would be able to resist formation. Getting up and dusting off her hands, she turned back to Emma and Denver.

"Who... are you the spirit in the gem?" Emma inquired, getting her act together. Denver was still cowering in fear; Wulfenite didn't blame him. She must have been at least twice as tall as they were.

"Yes," Wulfenite confirmed, testing her voice. "Emma, it is nice to finally meet you. It has been centuries since I've been able to walk freely like this..." she smiled, stretching out her legs and arms. "It is fortunate that metal cage was broken."

"Oh my goodness," Denver voiced, gulping. "that was a _cage?_ Why were you trapped?!"

Wulfenite shook her head. "Nothing bad. I was merely a bit unlucky." She shrugged at their questioning looks. "A story for another time. We should probably be headed home. Boy, does it feel great to be able to talk again..."

Wulfenite waited patiently for the pair to get to their feet, finally taking to either side of her. Emma calmed when Wulfenite explained she knew the way, and the three of them started heading back.

Emma began firing questions the moment she felt safe. "So, what's your name?"

"My designation? I've forgotten," Wulfenite admitted, "but my subspecies is known as Wulfenite."

"And you're okay with the name Wulfenite?" Emma inquired, barely missing a beat. "How do you feel about the nickname Wolfie?"

"Wolfie?" Wulfenite considered. "I don't see why not. Denver, would you like me to slow down? You're trailing behind." he jolted at the sound of his name, shaking his head violently and speeding up to match pace with Emma and Wulfenite.

"Denver, you didn't skip breakfast again, did you?" Emma inquired solemnly, glaring bullets into him. He dodged her gaze deliberately, hiding behind his golden locks.

"Mmm'be." he muttered. Instantly Emma was at his side, gripping his wrist.

"Change of plans, we're headed to the Pizzas for a double size," Emma announced. "I'm _not_ having you go home hungry just because your Dad forgets to feed you sometimes."

"But Emma..." he whined, and they were off, bickering casually as Wulfenite led them past the trees and down the winding road back to Beach City.

As they approached the food area that Wulfenite had seen from her gem a few times, she took a moment to take it all in, for real this time. She breathed in the rich smells of fish and cheese and tomatoes, all fried to a well-done crisp. It smelled _lovely._

"Wolfie?" Emma inquired, getting the Gem's attention. "could you make sure Denver doesn't run off on me? I don't want him insisting on a smaller size while I'm ordering, so he needs to stay here." She pointed to a specific place on the ground, which Denver stood at with a miffed expression.

As she ran off, Denver's eyes followed her carefully, finally averting back to Wulfenite. He studied her for a few more seconds, then finally asked, "Wulfenite, what _are_ you?"

"I'm a Gem, from a galaxy called Homeworld," she explained. At his blank expression, she chuckled. "Yes, I know, the name is uninspired-"

"No! That's... not it." He paused. "So you're like, an alien species based on gemstones?"

"I guess that's one way of saying it," Wulfenite agreed. "I've never been off this planet, though. I was hatched in the Kindergarten here." She shrugged. "I suppose that my species as a whole is 'alien', but I come from this planet, so I myself would probably not be 'alien'."

"That's still awesome," Denver said, looking up at her in awe. "And you're super-tall, too."

Wulfenite grinned. "Wulfenites often are."

Denver considered this as Emma waited impatiently at the desk of the Pizza's takeout desk, tapping it uncomfortably and occasionally glancing back to make sure he hadn't run off. "So there are gems other than Wulfenites?" He asked at last, the curiosity getting the better of him.

"Plenty," Wulfenite agreed. "New kinds are being made all the time. Each gem is a specialist in a certain type of job from birth. I've always considered myself a good interrogator, but only Peridots can hold that job." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Peridots are egotistical and whiny. I'm not very fond of them, myself."

Denver frowned. "So they wouldn't let you be an interrogator?"

"If they'd gotten so much as a whiff of the idea I wanted to be one," Wulfenite admitted, "I'd have probably been shattered."

"Shattered?" Denver repeated, unsure. "Like the thing in the forest? It had a gem like you do."

"That was a gem mutant, and no, shattering's worse." Wulfenite shook her head. "Consider what happened to that gem a... safe-mode, like a protection mechanism. When she had sustained enough damage, she returned to her gem to reform. Unfortunately, she will not reform unless some idiot decides to break the cage metal I was once in."

"So... what's the difference?" Denver inquired. Wulfenite shivered visibly.

"What happened back there... she was poofed. It's as I described... and shattering is when we're... what was the word..." she grumbled as she searched for the right word. "Destroyed? Broken? I don't know the human parallel."

"Wait, so they smash your gem?" he asked, desperate to know. "What's dangerous about it?"

"Yeah, well," Wulfenite desperately searched for words. "Poofing... you can recover from that, in a few weeks tops... but shattering? You _never_ come back. It's... it's..." She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know the word."

"It sounds to me a bit like death. So they... would give you a death sentence, just for wanting to be an interrogator?" He sympathized, getting up the courage to pat her arm. "That's really harsh."

Wulfenite hummed it off. "Not really, not to most," Wulfenite admitted. "I'm a bit of a weirdo, honestly. Most Wulfenites only ever dream of fixing chariots..."

"That's wrong," Denver said firmly. "Anyone can do anything if they set their mind to it."

Wulfenite grinned at the optimistic outburst. "I guess you're right," she agreed, turning back to see Emma running to them with a large, greasy box in hand.

"Pizza time!" She cried, handing it to Denver quickly. "C'mon, let's go eat at the lighthouse!" She dashed away quickly, followed by a panicked Denver. Not sure what to make of the exchange, Wulfenite followed after them.

* * *

She watched in fascination as Emma forced Denver to eat. He seemed to be enjoying the food, at least, which was why Wulfenite did not interfere, instead opting to watch them eat their food in silence. She had studied them enough to know vaguely how their organs worked, but it was still fascinating to her.

The Gems, admittedly, were not... natural. However, they were alive too, and eons of learning and practice and failure had gone into making them. How humans had only had one chance, and had made it through with much more beauty than Wulfenite could ever have found in herself or other gems, was nothing short of unbelievable.

"Want some, Wolfie?" Emma inquired, offering her a piece. "It's tast-oh. Um, you eat stuff, right?" She hastily corrected herself.

"I do eat, but it isn't necessary." Wulfenite smiled. "However, I have never tried this... Pizza... before. It is a relatively new food. I would like to try it, if possible."

Emma grinned and held out a piece, which Wulfenite took delicately, biting off the end and testing it. Her smile grew as she politely but quickly ate the piece, then shyly asked for another. It wasn't long before they finished the entire pizza.

Denver stretched and got up, helping Emma out. The two of them were about to leave, but suddenly remembered Wulfenite was still there.

"What should we do about you?" Emma asked no-one in particular, sitting down to think. "We can't just go home and say 'oh yeah, my necklace turned into a gem-based alien.' They'd never believe it." Denver plopped down beside her and considered for a moment.

"Any ideas, Wulfenite?" Denver inquired, looking up at the gem. She frowned.

"I... have never made my own decisions," she commented, panicking a little. "How do you...? I guess I could shapeshift?"

Emma bounced to her feet. "You can _shapeshift?_ "

"Yeah... all gems can," Wulfenite explained. "it's not hard, I just don't have much practice. Plus, I can't shapeshift forever." She rubbed her hands together eagerly. "Is there anything I should shapeshift into?"

Denver grinned. "Wolf," he said immediately. "let's take you back as a wolf."

Wulfenite nodded and closed her eyes. She'd only made major changes to her body when she wanted to eat or breathe, and those had all been internal. Changing her very appearance and gem location would be difficult, but she could do it.

The lighthouse filled with an ethereal glow as Wulfenite arched her back and pulled in most of her bulky form, pulling her yellow hair over her entire body, hiding her gem in the long strands. She tied off the transformation with her tail, testing it slowly and letting out a quiet hum of approval.

"Awesome!" Emma cried, pouncing on Wulfenite and sending a hand through Wulfenite's hair. "Oh, oh, can you carry us back?"

Denver was about to protest, but Wulfenite nodded. "I don't see why not." Emma hopped onto Wulfenite's back, and pulled Denver up behind her. She gripped Wulfenite's back, made sure Denver was still clinging onto her waist, and said, "We're ready to go!"

Wulfenite bounded away, slowing a bit at Emma's sudden exclamation. Denver looked over her shoulder and commented, "It's a bit confusing to hear a Wolf talk."

"I'll make sure not to when you introduce me," Wulfenite agreed. "who's house am I to go to?"

Apparently this hadn't occurred to the pair of them, and Emma looked back at Denver, who shrugged helplessly.

"Denver should keep you, my apartment is animal-free anyway," Emma declared, turning back. "Plus, his Dad's pretty lenient. I'm sure he'll let Denver keep you there."

Wulfenite nodded and adjusted for the new destination.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Wulfenite's back!

Read n Review as always! Hope to see you guys again soon!

(also wish me luck on my exams;-;)


	4. Announcement

Hey-o everybody!

As you might know, I'm currently in a horrible situation with two completely unfinished summatives due soon as well as two exams after that.

I'm putting down some notes here so that you guys know I haven't abandoned the story.

First, I want to point out some things.

1\. This story will diverge from the canon, though how much I don't know. It begins at around the time of the episode Steven Floats and diverges from there.

2\. There are plenty of OCs and story points to cover from here - so many that the story would become incredibly heavy if there were no filler chapters. Therefore, I am taking suggestions for the story either via PM or in reviews.

3\. I'm welcome to suggestions, comments, and any help you want to give! I want this to be a story that supplies what you want, instead of what I think you want. Don't be shy to ask for something to happen.

I'll catcha all later when I'm not dying from sleep deprivation!


	5. Chapter 4

"Welcome- What."

Denver gripped Wulfenite's side protectively for a moment, but Wulfenite gently shook him off and instead walked over to his father, the older man looking down at the Wolf-like gem with a mixture of fear and curiosity. It never failed to amaze her how curious humans were...

She sat down before him, dipping her head in greeting. He merely stared for a few seconds before looking up at Denver imploringly.

"That's Wolfie," Denver explained, stepping forward and patting Wulfenite gently. "Don't worry, he's tame."

"Uh... does he have Rabies? Or anything?" He inquired helplessly. "I assume you want to keep him?"

"Yeah, I want to keep him," Denver confirmed, "and no, Wolfie doesn't have Rabies." Denver scrunched up his nose in distaste.

 _Thanks for asking,_ Wulfenite thought sarcastically.

"I guess I can't stop you, but you're paying for him with your allowance," Denver's father sighed. "Just stay out of trouble, okay?"

"I will, Dad, don't worry." He smiled at Wulfenite. "C'mon, Wolfie, we'll head upstairs and I can make a bed for you in my room."

Wulfenite nodded and followed behind Denver, pausing as he ran up the steps to look back at his father.

"You're an interesting one," he commented, walking quietly up to Wulfenite and holding out his hand. Wulfenite, not really sure what to do with it, tapped it gently with one paw. Shaking his head, he sighed, "and I thought Emma was the weirdest thing he'd bring home. Apparently I was wrong."

Wulfenite nodded, turning back to the stairs and walking up to the room she'd seen Denver enter. She poked the door open and peered in, glancing around the room after making sure Denver was in there.

Denver was sitting on a small bed, which looked old but well cared for, almost handmade. There was a desk covered in haphazard papers and large, bulky books. Strewn along a board on the wall were a collection of images that showed him with Emma, Emma, or rarely him with his father. The window was thrown open, the spidery silk curtains fluttering gently as Denver began pulling blankets out from under his bed.

"We'll put you near the closet for now," Denver decided, throwing the blankets on the floor and leveling them out a bit. "until we can find something better. Make yourself comfortable."

Wulfenite nodded, then quietly asked, "Can I return to being myself? I'm getting tired holding the transformation."

"Go ahead, just be quiet," Denver allowed. Wulfenite quietly changed back, trying her best to make the light around her as dim as possible. She sat down on the blankets and fell into deep thought.

* * *

"Denver, stop _doing_ that."

Wulfenite woke up with a start. When had she fallen asleep? She shook herself and quickly transitioned to wolf, nosing the door open and peering downstairs. Denver's father shook his head as Denver hid back in the living room behind the shop.

"I don't get it though," he protested. "What's so wrong or different about standing about in the shop, Dad?" Wulfenite plopped down on the staircase, peering down at the pair with curiosity glowing in her eyes.

His father groaned. "Don't... uh... just use my name, Denver, it makes things easier."

Denver frowned. "Fine then. What's so wrong or different about standing in the shop, Jerome Dallson?" Wulfenite caught a hiss of unhappiness in his voice, but decided to let it continue.

"You're just... it's just..." he growled. "Just don't do it, okay, Denver? You're just..." his voice drifted off. "Nevermind. Just don't, okay?"

Denver huffed. "Fine. If you don't want me here, I'll just go live in the woods."

"No!" His father spun around from where he was dusting off some antiques. "No," he said again, a bit more gently. "That's not what I meant. I- uh- go outside and have some fun. I'm sure Emma would be happy to see you."

Denver's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, instead turning around and watching in shock as Wulfenite stormed up to Jerome, eyes firmly on her destination. She parked herself in front of him and glared.

"What?" Jerome inquired, looking down at her. "What do you want?"

Wulfenite looked back at Denver, then back at Jerome. She hummed curiosity.

"I..." he looked up at Denver, as if to ask what was happening. Denver shrugged and walked up to Wulfenite's side.

"C'mon, Wolfie, let's go see Emma." Denver soothed, patting Wulfenite gently. She allowed herself to be led out of the shop, but as the door was about to swing shut, she looked back, letting it fall on her side. Jerome stared at her, and she stared back.

"I'll try to be nicer to him," he whispered, too quiet for Denver to hear. Wulfenite let her ears pop upwards and nodded her approval, finally leaving the shop.

As they left, Jerome fell to his knees. His face was a mixture of shock and confusion.

"I'm trying so hard to respect him, Wolf," he muttered, looking down at his reflection in the antique vase he was holding. "I'm trying so hard to love a kid that's... different. Can't anyone see that? Will it ever be enough?" He thrust the vase back on the shelf and rushed to another antique that needed dusting.

 _Maybe if I work harder, I can forget..._

* * *

Wulfenite followed the two, finally able to be in her base form again, and smiled as they threw water at each other in the small waves of the beach. It was barely evident that there had been any fighting here; it looked almost innocent and peaceful, like nothing bad had ever happened there. Her smile, however, was thin and reserved; she could still see the phantoms of her first human and the gems running around her in a frantic hurry, the explosions of colour and the bombs being dropped.

"What's wrong, Wolfie?" Emma inquired, looking up from her building a small sand structure. Wulfenite sighed.

"There was a war here," she commented, brushing the sand gently. "I remember it. I must have only been fourty or fifty at the time..."

The two glanced at each other, then nodded. Denver turned back and asked, "Please tell us about it?"

Wulfenite was about to refuse, but decided she had nothing better to do. "Okay," she agreed, "but please forgive me if I drift off a bit."

They silently agreed, and she began to recount her tale, slowly describing the different gems and the society. The two often interrupted to interrogate her, making brief comments on the restrictive nature of Homeworld, and Wulfenite agreeing whole-heartedly.

"Peridots," Wulfenite rumbled, "are not very good at fighting, but are generally very good at surviving in the place of soldiers or superiors. It's considered an insult to not shatter for your superiors, which is why they are often scorned."

Emma frowned. "That's wrong," she stated plainly. "If somebody wants to live, let them. They don't have to shatter just because they're supposed to be utterly devoted to their leaders."

Wulfenite nodded sadly. "Unfortunately, that's what Homeworld likes to believe."

"Hey, is that one of the Lazuli you were talking about?" Denver inquired suddenly, pointing up at the sky. Wulfenite's head snapped up to look, and her eyes grew wide.

"I'll be right back," she said quickly, shifting into the form of an eagle. "promise, just want to chat with her." She lifted off with a strong beat of her wings and quickly rose to match pace with the Lapis. She twirled and flipped down next to the startled gem, and observed her for a moment.

"Who are you?" She asked incredulously. "...JASPER?" She flipped away before Wulfenite could protest, but Wulfenite showed her gem quickly, causing the Lapis to relax.

"I'm a Wulfenite who's been residing on this planet for a while now!" Wulfenite called out. "I promise I won't lay a finger on you!"

Lapis frowned and slowed down enough that Wulfenite could fly next to her, though she was careful to only be as close as she needed to be to speak comfortably. "What're gems doing on this planet? I thought the war ended?"

The Lapis hissed, "I was trapped here after that war. It's over... sort of. I was just looking around... I needed some breathing room." She turned back to flying for a moment, then seemed to gain interest. "Say, do you know Steven?"

"No," Wulfenite replied, confused. "Should I?"

"So you're allied to Homeworld?" She continued, her dark look growing.

Wulfenite paused to think. "No, not any more," Wulfenite decided. "I... well, I'm just lost now, I guess. Not really allied to anything or anyone, but I protect the two humans down there." She pointed to the pair still on the beach, watching them fly in awe.

Lapis's expression softened. "So you're like me," she nodded to herself. "what's your name? Are you known by your gem?"

"My gem name works," Wulfenite confirmed, "but the humans call me Wolfie."

"Wolfie," Lapis repeated, a small smile appearing. "It sounds nice."

"Thank you." She looked down. "I'd better be going back now, though. Will I encounter you again?"

"Probably," Lapis confirmed. "I live in a barn a short flight away from here with a Peridot."

Wulfenite scrunched up her nose. "Huh. So there're Peridots on Earth." She shrugged. "See you, then."

"Yeah," Lapis replied, choosing to ignore Wulfenite's reaction. "See you."

Wulfenite nose-dived back down to the ground, transforming back a few meters from the sand and landing heavily on her feet. "She isn't with the guys who made the mutant, we're good." Wulfenite nodded, then paused. "I should have asked her about that mutant..."

"Say, Wolfie," Emma inquired, frowning, "What _are_ the gem mutants?"

"Homeworld's idea of an experiment," Wulfenite hissed. "Ugly things made from the dead bodies of gems. They're mindless, simply searching constantly for the rest of their body, to be whole again."

"Sounds like a great horror movie," Denver commented dryly. Glancing at the setting sun, he continued, "we should probably head home. It's getting late."

"Oh, oh!" Emma cried suddenly, grabbing Wulfenite's hand. "Could you sleep over? It'll be fun, I promise, and Mum and Mom'll really want to meet you!"

Wulfenite tilted her head. "If Denver is okay with it," She decided at last. Denver gave her a thumbs up and Emma hummed her thanks.

"I'll see you both tomorrow?" He inquired hopefully.

"Tomorrow!" Emma agreed, and after a brief moment, she began to drag Wulfenite home.

* * *

Emma burst through the door of the small apartment and waved eagerly.

"Hey Mum! Hey Mom!" she called, distracting the two women. The first was cleaning up some dishes in the sink, the other folding clothes. They both grinned and launched themselves on the youngest girl.

"Welcome home, Emma," the first smiled, hugging her.

The other cackled and tickled Emma's ribs, grinning at Emma fondly.

After a few moments they seemed to notice the orange hulk in their doorway, and the second woman left tickling Emma's sides to look right up at Wulfenite.

"Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

"My name is Wulfenite," she responded, "but Emma calls me Wolfie."

"It's okay, Mom," Emma waved her off. "She's a friend, promise."

'Mom' turned around and sighed. "She doesn't exactly look like a girl to me, but okay," she shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat."

"She's genderless, that's just the pronoun," Emma corrected her patiently. "Wulfenite's an alien."

"Oh, okay." and with that, 'Mom' lost interest and went back to folding clothes.

The other woman, petite but with clear-as-day intelligence, commented, "An alien, you say? Can I ask you some questions?"

Wulfenite nodded, despite Emma groaning out a long 'Mum!' of exasperation. She assumed that there was some sort of meaning behind it, but she politely ignored the gesture.

'Mum', as she was designated, ushered Wulfenite in, closed the door, turned off the tap and showed Wulfenite to a comfortable chair, which she sat in comfortably. The woman whipped out a laptop, and after tapping on it a bit, she asked, "So you're an alien?"

"I believe that's an appropriate term," Wulfenite agreed. "My species are known as 'Gems'."

"Gems, right," she nodded. "So all of your species look like you, or..?"

"No, we're very diverse," Wulfenite explained, describing the different gems.

That led on to explaining gem hierarchy, and further in to how she ended up on Earth and the intricacies of Gem functions, until finally Emma called from sitting in front of the TV, "Mum! Twenty questions rule!"

The woman suddenly looked very sheepish. "I'm sorry," she apologized, closing down her computer. "I get carried away. I'll... ask more about the fascinating nature of your species later."

Wulfenite nodded, instead trotting over to Emma and sitting down next to her. She idly observed the small apartment for a few minutes, then tapped Emma on the shoulder.

"What is it, Wulfenite?" She inquired, muting the television.

"What is the role of your 'Mum' and 'Mom'?" Wulfenite asked quietly. "Denver had a 'Dad'. Do you have one? Do 'Mum' and 'Mom' serve the same purpose?"

Emma nodded. "They're the same, just different genders," Emma explained. "Mums and Moms are female, Dads are male."

Wulfenite nodded. "I'd forgotten briefly that humans insist on having different terms according to gender," she commented. "why is that?"

"It's a language thing," Emma waved it off. "it shouldn't matter, but it does."

Wulfenite nodded seriously. "I'll make sure I get it right."

* * *

Wulfenite relaxed on the couch, watching the two women with intense curiosity. Something about how they interacted seemed... planned. Streamlined. Rehearsed. Like they were two parts of one whole, instead of just two people.

They were sitting across from each other at the small kitchen table, both sipping small cups of hot cocoa. Emma was asleep, snoring softly in her bed in the next room, and Wulfenite was pretending to be asleep on the sofa.

'Mum' shook her head gently. "Our Emma leads such an exciting life, doesn't she?" She commented, sipping her drink.

'Mom' sighed and planted her chin on the table. "She needs protecting," she grumbled. "Much more than she's getting. And all you can say is 'oh, let me ask the alien some questions'. Why did we let an alien sleep over again?"

Mum smirked. "Sofi, I know you better than that. You enjoyed the alien's company."

"But Kayla..." Sofi mumbled, stretching out.

"But Sofi," Kayla parroted, snickering into her cup of chocolate. "I know you don't want her being in danger, but this 'Wolfie' seems like a perfect gentleman. I'm sure she'll protect her." She hummed. "And with muscles like that, I'm sure she could."

"Kayla!" Sofi cried in mock horror. "How could you? Do I not go to the gym often enough?" She made an exaggerated pose. "Alas! My wife doth want another woman!"

"Shush, the neighbors will hear you," Kayla chuckled. "Do I need to shut you up?"

"Let me see you try!" Sofi responded with confidence.

Wulfenite felt vaguely awkward listening in after that point, and instead opted to stare at the wall as the teasing went back and forth.

* * *

"Bye Mum, bye Mom!" Emma called, dragging Wulfenite out the door. "Wolfie and I've gotta meet up with Denver again today!"

"See you," Kayla said softly, waving.

"Yeah! You go make sure that kid stays happy!" Sofi agreed, waving far more enthusiastically.

As they left, Wulfenite commented, "I believe your 'Mum' and 'Mom' are very kind people. I find them fascinating."

"They are," Emma agreed. "I love them very much."

* * *

A/N: Meeting the parents!

There's so much more I need to write of this, but I still have 2 exams and other stories to keep up with. I'll work hard though!

Don't forget to read and review! It means a lot to know that you guys want the story!


	6. Chapter 5

Today Wulfenite awoke to silence.

She was used to waking up at regular intervals, sleeping at the same time and generally having a routine for her rest, and so she decided that there had to be a reason that she was awake at 1AM in the morning.

She got up and quietly shifted to her wolf form, stalking out the door as silently as she could, glancing back at Denver only once before trotting down the stairs quietly and shapeshifting into a small cat. She balanced precariously on a beam above the shop's public area, peering down at the place in mild curiosity.

In the window was someone who appeared to be Emma, but was the wrong colour. Her skin was a pale white, and her hair, instead of being the colour of ripened wheat, was instead as black as midnight. Wulfenite found that the expression on her face seemed strangely adult, as if hardened by experience.

Just then, Denver hammered down the stairs and laid eyes on this strange not-Emma, his eyes going wide. He opened the door, and she stumbled in, collapsing onto her knees.

"Emma?" he asked cautiously, his face twisted in confusion and concern. "What happened to you?"

"I..." her voice was odd, raspy, as if she were faking a cold to mask her voice. "...don't know what happened. Help..." she drew in a shaky breath and pulled herself in close, rocking quietly back and forth.

Wulfenite peered down at her, and with a start she noticed the Pearl on her navel that was quickly hidden beneath her shirt.

A gem. A hurt gem, too. I bet she came here looking for me.

Wulfenite hopped down from the roof and landed in front of the not-Emma, her eyes staring into hers for a few moments.

"..." The not-Emma declined to comment, and Denver patted her back gently.

"It's Wolfie, she just shapeshifted," Denver explained, and the not-Emma nodded mutely. With a shaky hand she reached out, and Wulfenite stepped forward and laid a paw on not-Emma's stomach, making her snap back as if stung.

"Emma?" Denver frowned. "This isn't like you. Are you sure you should even be up and about? Why didn't you just call me?" He looked at Wulfenite, who shook her head.

"Hello, Pearl," Wulfenite said calmly. "You are among peaceful gems and humans. I highly advise dropping your transformation."

With wide eyes, not-Emma gulped and turned to Denver, who had backed away a step. She sighed and let a brief flash of light envelop her - and there sat a Pearl.

 _The_ Pearl.

Her eyes seemed a lifeless, her limbs even thinner than usual, her petite frame frail and fragile compared to the pure power she pulsed so many years ago. Regardless, it was her, and Wulfenite was paralyzed briefly from the realization.

"Please help me," she begged, her voice still raspy, but distinctly musical; Wulfenite nodded numbly, and with a brief flash she was back to her base.

"The Wulfenite," she said quietly, letting Wulfenite inspect her gem. It was common knowledge that in an emergency Wulfenites were natural doctors; it simply wasn't efficient, however, to heal gems, and so the ability was never used save for on dreadfully important gems.

Wulfenite paused. "You've fractured your L-Y1 holographic visualiser, which explains the glassy eyes," she nodded. "It's a common one. The bigger fracture along from north to southeast is hedging on your colour output from output 2X6 to 3Y2, but otherwise you're just feeling weak from holding up a projection from a broken gem." She nodded numbly. "You have two options; allow us to keep you here, where I can work slowly on helping your gem regenerate on its own until it can replace the missing sections, or allow us to see if we can find the legendary Rose's Fountain. It's up to you which one we try."

"You really think Rose's Fountain exists?" She murmured, gripping Wulfenite's arm for support.

Wulfenite nodded. "It's your best bet if you don't want to be regenerating for at least a year."

She shivered at the thought of waiting so long, and replied, "Rose's Fountain it is... but can I go home first?"

Wulfenite nodded. "Denver? Head back to bed. I'll take care of this." Denver was about to protest, but Wulfenite interjected, "If I'm not back by sunrise, find Emma and go looking for the Fountain with statues of a curly-haired woman." He nodded numbly and walked up the stairs, sparing them one last glance before going back into his room.

Wulfenite silently helped the Pearl to her feet, hooking an arm under hers so that she could lean onn Wulfenite's shoulder for support. She walked outside and into the open air, allowing the Pearl to steer them in the right direction. After a few minutes, the Pearl said quietly, "You're the Wulfenite."

"I don't know about _the_ Wulfenite," Wulfenite chuckled, "but I definitely am a Wulfenite. You can call me Wolfie."

"Wolfie," she repeated, pausing for a moment to rest her pained limbs. "Wolfie." She played with the word a bit, rolling it around, and nodded. "Thank you, Wolfie."

Wulfenite hummed a non-commital answer as she shifted to help the Pearl regain her balance. "Do you have a name?" Wulfenite asked suddenly, shifting her curiosity to the rebel.

"D-Desdemona," she replied quietly.

"Desdemona," she parroted back, confirming she got it right. "It's a beautiful name."

Desdemona merely blushed lightly at the praise as they walked, and with a slight tug she pulled Wulfenite towards some apartments.

"Emma lives here," Wulfenite commented idly, briefly getting distracted. She shrugged and held the door open for the Pearl, who dipped her head in passing and hopped her way up the stairs carefully, Wulfenite right behind her. They reached the third floor hallway, and she turned to the second door on the left, gently touching the doorbell and putting one hand on the wall for support.

The door was flung open abruptly, and out stepped a Sunstone. His clear amber eyes darted between them, and then snapped back suddenly to lock fearfully onto Wulfenite's bulky frame.

"Ah...Ah..." She mouthed something quickly, then hardened. Summoning her knives from her sleeves, she cried, "Let her go!"

"It's fine," Desdemona murmured, patting the Sunstone's shoulder gently. "She won't hurt us. I'm sorry, Wulfenite, but he gets like this sometimes."

Wulfenite nodded numbly, glancing between them. "Right. It's okay." She watched Sunstone with a spark of curiosity as she began to lecture the Pearl in the middle of the hallway, simultaneously sending worried glances at her gem. Her body, instead of having the Peridot-esque uniforms she was used to seeing, was marked in swirls and dots all over, the dots being particularly dense and noticeable around her nose. Her gem was located in her left hand, and she hissed when Desdemona patted it gently.

"Calm down, Sunny, Wulfenite helped me." She looked up at Wulfenite with a glowing set of eyes which sent a nostalgic pang through Wulfenite's gem. She smiled back helplessly, unsure how to react.

"You sure this gem's okay?" Sunstone hissed maliciously, gripping Pearl's hand tightly. Wulfenite sighed and let Desdemona do the talking.

"Yes, Sunny," Desdemona groaned. "Geez, you've got to learn to trust people."

"My reasons are legitimate though!" Sunstone refuted. "She's the one who told the Diamond Authority about the mission! It's why the war ended ambiguously!" She cried, sending a glare in Wulfenite's direction.

"I've never even met any of the Diamond Authority," Wulfenite said honestly. "I was neutral during the war."

"See?" Desdemona said pointedly, eliciting a few rejected grumbles from Sunstone. "Come on in, Wolfie. You can tell Sunny here about everything that's happened." Wulfenite nodded, following the Pearl into the small living space and pacing up next to her.

"Say," Wulfenite whispered into Desdemona's ear, "is she always like that?"

"He," Desdemona corrected, "and yes. He is." She shrugged. "The moment he warms up to you he'll be going all over-protective mode on you, trust me. He's a good gem, really." Desdemona patted a seat gently and then sat down delicately across from Wulfenite. Sunstone finally closed the door and stormed over, sitting down next to Desdemona with an audible _thump._

"Sunny, stop sulking," Desdemona said curtly, and this made Sunstone's sunny attitude become even better. He turned away and fumed in the corner of the sofa.

Desdemona sighed in exasperation and gave up. "So... how are we going about finding Rose's Fountain?"

Sunstone jolted upright, peering at Wulfenite with intense curiosity, and she replied, "I... know of a gem who has the skills needed for some decent reconnaissance. Otherwise, we're stuck searching and following rumours." Wulfenite shrugged. "I wasn't a member of the rebellion officially... I merely did not align with Homeworld."

Sunstone frowned and returned to giving Wulfenite mistrustful glances. Desdemona took the news better. "Anything you can do to help me heal I would be thankful for forever."

"It's best to get you better as soon as possible," Wulfenite agreed. "but I've got to head back to Denver. The search will begin tomorrow. Until then, I've heard that there are some flowers made by Rose herself somewhere in town. Keep an eye out for them, I'm sure a tea made from them would work a bit."

They lapsed into silence, but soon were saying goodbyes when Wulfenite realized the time.

She'd have to continue her search tomorrow.

* * *

A/N: I'm not very happy with this chapter, but oh well. You guys deserve _something_ after my silence.

My education's gone awry, so updates will be very slow. I'm sorry...


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